In case you missed it, a bakery in Bramley has received lots of attention recently after people have sampled some of its impressive bread and pastries before raving about it online.
Since then, Ruth, the mastermind behind it all, has generated queues from her summer house-turned bakehouse with people coming from far and wide to sample her flaky favourites and doughy delights.
Baking for more than 10 years and opening The Fat Pigeon just outside of Leeds city centre three years ago, there's no denying that the pastries and more produced here are some of the best.
This micro-bakery has a mighty menu and although Ruth's personal tastes might lean more savoury, the menu heavily favours sugary baked goods.
Anyone who loves a good sweet treat will be glad to know there's croissants, traybakes, cinnamon buns and the star-studded kouign-amann, a French-originating buttery pastry that covers all bases as it's sugary, sweet and slightly salty - heaven in baked form.
Ruth posing with a pigeon statue alongside some of her delicious golden creations / Image Credits: The Hoot Leeds / The Fat Pigeon
There's plenty more dough-based delights that cater to the savoury palate too. Think sourdough loaves, baguettes and focaccia that's oozing with perfectly paired herbs and generous amounts of oil.
What makes this place even more special is the fact that not only the products being created and consumed made by a Leeds local, most if not all of the offerings are made using Yorkshire produce.
Ruth has made sure to keep local produce at the heart of all her bakes with Met's in Farsley who providing cheese, Whiteley's contributing fresh vegetables like parsley and rhubarb, flour from East Yorkshire's own Stringers and The Organic Dales for any dairy items - it really doesn't get more Yorkshire than this.
Enough from us, social media user's are singing this bakery's praises too as one commented "Delicious. Delicious. Delicious" and another going as far to say, "Beats every pastry I had in Copenhagen".
The sourdough loaves and bloomers at The Fat Pigeon are homemade and look as good as they taste / Image Credits: The Hoot Leeds / The Fat Pigeon
Hopefully you're reading this on a Friday or early Saturday morning, otherwise all I can do is apologise for tempting you with all this bakery's homemade golden goodness so far in advance.
The Fat Pigeon is open from 9am to 12pm every Saturday meaning you can stock up on some of Leeds' best bread and pastries to tie you over until the next weekend, depending on your will power.
Leeds Christmas Markets is returning to the city centre in just a weeks time, and we've got everything you need to know.
This year, the markets are looking a little bit different than before as outdoor events company Thor’s Tipi have stepped up as the all-new operators of this Christmastime spectacular.
They're organising a market where 'even if you’re not from Yorkshire, you’re going to leave being from Yorkshire'.
Although Leeds locals already know that Yorkshire is 'God's Own Country', the Leeds Christmas Markets team are making sure that the county is represented through its food, drinks and wider stalls.
So, let's get into it...
Opening dates and timings
The Leeds Christmas Markets will kick off from Thursday 19 November and run until Wednesday 23 December. So that's almost five weeks of festivities flooding the city, and plenty of time for you to make the most of it.
The markets will be open 7 days a week, the exact timings are:
The main stalls and street food will be located at City Square, here you will also find the main Christmas tree and two THOR's bars.
Ice Cube at Millennium Square will also be making a return, here you'll find rides, an ice rink and more food and drink. This is separate to what is being run by THOR's this year, though.
There will be plenty of other festive activities taking place throughout the city throughout November and December, you can find out more and view the Leeds Christmas map here.
Food
Okay, now we can get onto the good stuff.
We all know that the highlight of the markets is the food, and this year there's going to be more independent and local trader than ever before.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
From Leeds' very own Italian street food restaurant Stuzzi to homemade mini tiramisu drawers, you're going to want to arrive feeling very peckish at these markets that's for sure.
The current full list of street food vendors at City Square is as follows:
Cut & Craft (steak and chips)
Beth Bakes Cakes (hot chocolate fudge cake)
Misu Tiramisu (mini tiramisu drawers)
Crumble pots (crumble)
La Grassa (Italian-American sandwiches)
Chocolate Circus (stacked hot chocolates)
Stuzzi (Italian street food)
Street Kings Bratwurst (traditional bratwurst)
Johnsons' Toffee (homemade toffee and fudge)
The Savvy Baker (sweet treats and hot cookie dough)
Irish spice bags
Churros
Drink
Closely following behind food, a good old tipple is what many of us venture to the markets for.
This year, alongside a few mulled wine stalls in city square, THOR's will be doing what they do best and opening two brand-new outdoor bars to really get you in the spirit.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
You can pick from a Scottish Highland Lodge and a Folie Ski Bar, both designed to welcome large groups with their own themed drinks and cosy interiors. You can read more about these bars here.
Not only that, but they'll be a specialist coffee trader as well as a matcha trader if you don't fancy anything alcoholic.
Shopping
The Leeds Christmas Markets isn't just about eating and drinking, it's also about browsing and shopping for those last minute Christmas gifts or gorgeous knick-knacks to decorate your home with over the festive season.
Here's your list of traders to buy gifts from at City Square:
Stump Cross (natural crystal jewellery, fossils and more)
House of the Trembling Madness (festive craft beer cans)
Real Markets Yorkshire (lots of goodies made in Yorkshire)
Yorkshire Print Company (Yorkshire-inspired artwork)
Paper Starlights (handmade paper lanterns)
Scents of Christmas (handcrafted decorations)
Kakuwi (homemade crafts sourced across India and Nepal)
Audio North’s Artist of the Month – The Wranglers | November 2026
Declan Kelly
It’s time to bring a whole lot of country music to the North.
Country music might traditionally have you thinking of Nashville, cowboy boots, and American highways, but there's a new generation of artists proving you don't have to cross the Atlantic to find a good country tune.
Meet The Wranglers - a Leeds-based band who are bringing a whole lot of country to the North's music scene, with big vocals, infectious energy, and a sound that feels just as at home in a packed festival field as it does in a Nashville honky-tonk.
Formed in April 2024, the independent band have wasted little time making their mark on the UK's growing country music scene. The Wranglers have been championing the sort of live performances that are about more than simply playing a setlist, inviting audiences into a world of storytelling, freedom, heart and a little bit of country-rock chaos.
Their sound takes inspiration from some of music's biggest names (think Bruce Springsteen, Journey, and Foreigner) while bringing in the more modern country influences of Luke Combs, The Shires, and Lady A.
It's this combination of classic rock influences and contemporary country that gives the band their own identity. Whether it's a summer anthem, a power ballad, or something exploring darker themes of lust and betrayal, their songwriting is rooted in storytelling and the ability to make people feel something.
And if there's one thing The Wranglers want you to know, it's that their music is best experienced live.
Credit: SuppliedCredit: Supplied
With lead vocalists Milly Ballington and Leo Hicks at the front, alongside Dylan Wilson on lead guitar, Sian Keates on drums, and Sean Robinson on bass, the five-piece put showmanship at the heart of everything they do. Expect plenty of audience participation, powerful vocals, and the kind of stage presence that makes it difficult to stand still.
Since forming, they've already found themselves performing at some of the UK's most exciting country music destinations, including The Long Road Festival and Lil' Nashville in London, while continuing to build a dedicated following back home in Leeds.
Their debut single, 'Rewind', arrived in 2025, giving listeners an introduction to their original sound. They've since continued to build on that momentum with 'Freedom in the Rain', released in August 2026, and their latest single 'Ghost', showing there's plenty more to come from the band.
It's not just about getting their music out there, either. With a headline show at Leeds' Oporto among their recent milestones, The Wranglers are continuing to put their hometown firmly on the map as they take their country sound further afield.
For a band that only came together in 2024, there's already plenty to shout about. But with new music, live performances and a growing audience behind them, it feels like they're only just getting started.
So, if you've been looking for your next country music obsession, it might be time to give The Wranglers a listen. After all, you don't need to be in Nashville to have a little bit of country in your life.
Thomas Melia -
12th June 2026 
